Dignitaries and volunteers receive honor

Thursday

Two legislative awards and two volunteer awards were presented at a luncheon in downtown Harrisburg celebrating the successful passage of two lifesaving policies for the state.

Two legislative awards and two volunteer awards were presented at a luncheon in downtown Harrisburg celebrating the successful passage of two lifesaving policies for the state.

Sen. Lisa Baker, R-20, of Luzerne County was presented with the 2012 Legislator of the Year Award in Cardiac Policy by the American Heart Association for her sponsorship of Senate Bill 351.

The bill, which was signed into law in July, provides Good Samaritan liability protection for AED program facilitators and lay CPR rescuers, significantly strengthening the chain of survival for cardiac arrest victims in the state. Only one-in-four out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims nationally receive bystander CPR, and for patients with atrial fibrillation, chances of survival decrease by 7 to 10 percent for each minute that passes without a shock to the heart from an automated external defibrillator.

The 2012 Legislator of the Year Award in Stroke Policy was presented to Judge Doug Reichley of the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas, who, while serving in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, introduced House Bill 1400 to improve stroke systems of care.

Volunteer Gene Juillet was honored with the American Heart Association Great Rivers Affiliate Distinguished Achievement Award. Juillet, from Schwenksville, is a heart survivor who became involved with the American Heart Association more than eight years ago. Over the years, he has been a dedicated advocate, telling his story to elected officials locally, in Harrisburg and in Washington D.C,. He also has spent the last seven years speaking to students at Villanova University at the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine as well as to medical students at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine to provide a patient's perspective on living with heart disease.

Receiving the Young Heart Award was Taylor Heath from Mohrsville. Taylor had a massive stroke at birth and now, at 13, has cognitive and developmental delays. Taylor has spoken one-on-one to several state and federal legislators about his experience and the importance of passing heart disease and stroke-related public policies.

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